''Microtis'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
sea snail
Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...
s,
marine gastropod
Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...
mollusk
Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...
s in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Trochidae
The Trochidae, common name top-snails or top-shells, are a family of various sized sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subclass Vetigastropoda. This family is commonly known as the top-snails because in many species the shell resembles ...
, the top snails.
[Bouchet, P. (2012). ''Microtis'' H. Adams & A. Adams, 1850. Accessed through: ]World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms.
Content
The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...
at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=512300 on 2012-11-23
Description
The spiral shell is suborbicular and depressed. It has two tuberculated ridges. The
spire
A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...
is slightly projecting. The
aperture
In optics, the aperture of an optical system (including a system consisting of a single lens) is the hole or opening that primarily limits light propagated through the system. More specifically, the entrance pupil as the front side image o ...
is very large, and wider than long. Its interior is pearly within. The
columella
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (, Arabic: ) was a prominent Roman writer on agriculture in the Roman Empire.
His in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture and ancient Roman cuisin ...
r margin is spiral and visible as far as the
apex
The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to:
Arts and media Fictional entities
* Apex (comics)
A-Bomb
Abomination
Absorbing Man
Abraxas
Abyss
Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in Ameri ...
of the spire. There is no
operculum.
G.W. Tryon (continued by Pilsbry) (1890) Manual of Conchology XII Stomatellidae, Scissurellidae, Pleurotomariidae, Haliotidae, Scutellinidae, Addisoniidae, Cocculinidae, Fissurellidae
/ref>
Species
Species within the genus ''Microtis (gastropod)'' include:
The following species were brought into synonymy:
Distribution
This marine genus occurs off Northern Australia
The unofficial geographic term Northern Australia includes those parts of Queensland and Western Australia north of latitude 26th parallel south, 26° and all of the Northern Territory. Those local government areas of Western Australia and Q ...
and in the South Pacific Ocean
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
References
* A. Adams, 1850, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 18: 36
* Stomatia (Microtis) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1850: Higo, S., Callomon, P. & Goto, Y. (2001) ''Catalogue and Bibliography of the Marine Shell-Bearing Mollusca of Japan. Gastropoda Bivalvia Polyplacophora Scaphopoda Type Figures''. Elle Scientific Publications, Yao, Japan, 208 pp
* Allan, J. (1935). ''Australian shells: ear shells and wide-mouthed shells''. Aust. Mus. Mag. 5 (9)
* Wilson, B. (1993). ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods''. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing. Vol.1 1st Edn
External links
GenBank
World Register of Marine Species
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6840425
Trochidae
Gastropod genera